The Winnipeg School Division has apologized to the Jewish community for a “deeply disturbing” slogan displayed during a division-wide professional development seminar this week.
Staff and administration from Manitoba’s largest division gathered at Canada Life Centre Wednesday to participate in a professional-development day under one very large roof.
During the a keynote speech by African-American educator Christopher Emdin about Indigenous education and equity work, the statement: “Resistance to colonialism is not terrorism” was displayed on the arena’s massive four-sided video score clock.
SUPPLIED
During an in-service day for Winnipeg School Division employees at the Canada Life Centre Wednesday, the statement: “Resistance to colonialism is not terrorism” was displayed on the arena’s massive four-sided video score clock.
Emdin is an award-winning author whose research interests include STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) and social justice education.
Roughly 5,500 staff, including more than 2,200 teachers, were expected to attend the in-service and would have seen the statement.
The Jewish Federation of Winnipeg said it was deeply hurtful to many educators.
“While the statement did not mention any specific conflicts, it has been used in contexts related to the Israel-Hamas conflict and employed to justify acts of violence perpetuated by terrorist groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah,” a statement issued by the federation said Wednesday afternoon.
“This is a horrifying stance, as the loss of life and the infliction of fear and suffering should never be justified, regardless of the context.”
The school division said the displayed message was unrelated to the conflict in the Middle East but acknowledged it could have been misinterpreted.
“My immediate action is to send a formal apology to all of you and assure you all that our focus is on, and must be on, Indigenous education, reconciliation, and equity for all. There is no equity in terrorism,” superintendent Matt Henderson said in the release.
Henderson previously said the meeting’s purpose was to “build a strong culture where everybody feels that they’re part of a community that’s moving the needle for kids and families.”
In a post on X (formerly Twitter) Emdin said he was speaking specifically about colonial teaching practices and student responses, and any other interpretation was “intellectually dishonest and a gross misrepresentation of the sentiments shared to all who attended.”
The JFW and CIJA will meet with WSD administration to discuss the issue further, the release said.
nicole.buffie@freepress.mb.ca
Nicole Buffie
Multimedia producer
Nicole Buffie is a multimedia producer who reports for the Free Press city desk. Born and bred in Winnipeg, Nicole graduated from Red River College’s Creative Communications program in 2020 and worked as a reporter throughout Manitoba before joining the Free Press newsroom in 2023. Read more about Nicole.
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